WHEN SHEEP SLEEP

Numeroff, master of cause-and-effect, knows what happens if you give a sheep a naptime: You have to count something else! Simple rhymed text describes how a young insomniac and her teddy bear count other sleeping animals in lieu of the woolly variety. On their imaginary travels, they see a family of nuzzling deer deep in the forest, a group of cows dozing in a meadow, a pile of snoring pigs in a sty, puppies cuddled up on pillows, birds dreaming in a nest, purring kittens on a sofa, snuggling bears safe in their cave and twitching rabbits asleep in a hutch. The girl’s eyes begin to get heavy, and eventually she is all tuckered out. Surrounded by so much slumber—and some of her animal friends—she drifts off to sleep herself. McPhail’s warm and cozy pen-and-watercolor paintings provide the perfect touch and include inviting endpapers of snoozing sheep. A pleasant, satisfying bedtime story, just right for sending little ones off to sleep. (Picture book. 3-5)